The End
by FleurHartz
Summary: This is a two-parter about the Dream Team and Co.'s final days at Hogwarts. But one tragic event changes everything--the death of a hero...
1. A Hero's Death

The End…  
Part One  
  
~*~  
"I'm sure Harry's fine, Ron. Don't worry about it." Hermione said softly as they walked into the Great Hall for the End of Year Feast, but she didn't sound so sure herself.  
  
"Yeah. I'll bet he's fine." Ron said, his face conveying that he thought the exact opposite.  
  
All of Hogwarts, save a few Slytherins, seemed worried that night as well. Harry had been missing for almost a week, the last week in his seventh year. He had been discovered gone Saturday, and it was now Friday, their next to last day at Hogwarts. No one had seen him leave, and he hadn't come back. Rumors were flying about him going to face Voldemort for a final showdown, and everyone seemed terrified that Hogwart's hero had been killed by the Dark Lord, who had never been more powerful.   
Everyone filed into their seats, watching Dumbledore expectantly for any news. Dumbledore had a somber expression on his face as he stood.  
  
"It is no use to hide the truth from you. We have discovered the fate of Harry Potter."  
  
Ron and Hermione looked at each other, wide-eyed, as hushed whispers spread through the Hall.  
  
"I know all of you have been extremely worried about what happened to Harry Potter when he disappeared a week ago. The truth has been discovered. Apparently, he did go to face Voldemort alone, to save us all. He succeeded one again. Voldemort has been destroyed, reduced to a powerless being that has been executed and will never be heard from again."  
  
Cheers rang from the hall, so deafening that the walls almost shook.   
  
"Harry Potter has saved us once again. But the cost of this victory was his life. Harry Potter is dead…sacrificed himself for all of us."  
  
The cheers abruptly stopped. Everyone looked at Dumbledore in shock. Ginny Weasley was the first to react. She started sobbing, loud, horrible sobs that sounded almost painful. That seemed to jolt everyone to reality. Ron looked as though he couldn't quite manage crying. His whole face was deathly pale, and he was gripping the edge of the table so tight his knuckles went white. Silent tears streamed down Hermione's face as she still looked too shocked to really react.  
  
"I'm so sorry to be that one who tells all of you of this. But know that our world is finally free from Voldemort's clutches only because of this sacrifice. So as you mourn his death, celebrate the bravery he exemplified even in his final moments."  
  
Dumbledore sat down again, his light blue eyes clouded with grief. Professor McGonagall was outright sobbing, as was Hagrid. Professor Snape had an undeterminable expression on his cold face. Something close to grief but not quite reaching it.   
  
"I-I don't believe it." Hermione choked out, getting up from her seat and racing out of the Hall.  
  
Ron sat there for a moment, looking as if he couldn't quite focus on anything. He looked lost and terrified. Slowly he got up as well, and walked out of the Hall.  
  
Everyone watched the two of them leave, and hushed whispers followed about how sorry everyone felt for them. Some students were crying, some looked confused about whether to be sad about Harry or happy about Voldemort's defeat.  
  
Ginny was in hysterics, and had no brothers there to comfort her. Her friends looked as if they didn't quite know what to say. Draco Malfoy, who had been dating Ginny ever since his sixth year and her fifth, much to the bewilderment of everyone else at Hogwarts, walked over to the Gryffindor table.  
  
"Come on, Gin. Let's go for a walk." He took her hand, leading a sobbing Ginny outside.  
~*~  
  
Hermione walked quickly up the hall to the Gryffindor common room, her mind racing. Harry can't be dead, it's not possible! Her mind screamed as tears continued to flow down her cheeks. Absently wiping them away, she managed to say the password to the Fat Lady, and entered the otherwise empty common room.  
  
It was dark in there. A thunderstorm was raging now outside, and the candles in the room cast an odd, eerie light. Standing alone, Hermione realized she was shaking like a leaf. Grasping the arm of a chair, she collapsed onto the couch, breathing shallowly.  
  
"It can't be true." She said out loud, as a lightning flash illuminated the room.  
  
Suddenly, the portrait hole swung open once again. Hermione unsteadily sat up, wishing that whoever it was would just leave her alone. But then she realized it was Ron, standing there, arms hanging limply at his sides. He looked like a child again, not a seventeen year old.  
  
Ron suddenly seemed to realize she was there as well. He looked at her, his eyes glassy.  
  
"Hermione, I--" He started to say, but then couldn't seem to finish. Words failed both of them, it was too awful to even talk about.  
  
Hermione got up from the couch, quickly crossed the room and threw both arms around his neck in a tight hug. Ron put his arms around her as well, taking a deep, unsteady breath. And finally, Hermione let herself feel the whole impact of what happened. She broke down completely, crying like a little girl. The two best friends were all each other had left. They held onto each other as if they would never let go.  
~*~  
  
Ginny and Draco walked across the vast Hogwarts grounds in silence. Ginny was absently wiping away the tears that kept spilling from her eyes, trying to regain control of herself.  
  
"I know how you must be feeling, Gin." Draco said quietly.  
  
"How could you? You've always hated Harry." She said angrily.  
  
"I know he meant a lot to you." Draco replied.  
  
"He did. I mean, I know he never loved me like I used to want him too, and I got over my crush on him ages ago, but…he was still really important to me. I don't really know why."  
  
"I know, Gin."   
  
There was a moment of silence.  
  
"Draco…are you happy he's gone?" Ginny asked softly.  
  
"No! Ginny, how can you even say that?"  
  
"Well, the whole mortal enemy thing confused me a little." She said sardonically.  
  
"I know you think I hate Harry, but things are different than how they used to be. Harry stood for everything I was raised to hate. My whole childhood, my father taught me to loathe everything good. But I've changed, Ginny. I don't want that for myself. You know back in sixth year when Harry and I had to work together to destroy those Death Eaters? We learned a lot from each other. And dating you has changed me a lot too. I don't want what my father wanted for me. I'd rather work against Voldemort than for him. And Harry was one of the main reasons I changed. He's a great guy, Gin. I can finally admit that. A better man than I could ever be. So no, I'm not happy he's gone."  
  
Ginny looked at him thoughtfully.  
  
"Harry Potter was one of the best people I've ever met. But so are you, Draco. Even though I never would have thought that a couple years ago."  
  
"I know. I remember our relationship was so scandalous when it started last year."  
  
"All the Gryffindors made me feel like I was betraying the house or something." Ginny grinned.  
  
"Same with the Slytherins."  
  
"Yeah. Harry was the only one who even tried to understand." Ginny said sadly.  
  
Draco stopped, looking at her seriously.  
  
"It's terrible he's dead, Gin. But at least he sacrificed himself for something worth dying for. Because of him, Voldemort's gone."  
  
"I know. I hope he's happy…maybe he's finally with his parents."  
  
"Yeah, maybe so."  
  
They walked in silence for awhile, stopping at the edge of the lake. The blue waters sparkled softly under the stars, casting strange, watery reflections on their faces.  
  
"Isn't it strange how you can just wake up one morning, and someone you've always thought would be there is gone?" Ginny said softly.  
  
"Guess we shouldn't take anything for granted. One moment with someone might be your last." Draco turned to look at her.  
  
She turned to face him as well.  
  
"Yeah…like the giant squid could suddenly leap out of the water right now and eat me alive." She said solemnly.  
  
Draco laughed as Ginny grinned mischievously.  
  
"Well, in case that happens, I have something to tell you." Draco sounded serious again.  
  
"What?" Ginny asked, still grinning, thinking he was joking too.  
  
"I love you."   
  
Ginny stopped grinning. She looked up at him, dumbfounded.  
  
"I realized that I'd never told you that. I've never told anyone that. You're the only person in my whole life that I've ever actually truly cared about. My family doesn't give a damn about me, I don't have any real friends in Slytherin, but you actually do care about me. And you make me happier than anyone ever has.You're everything to me, Gin. And I'm leaving Hogwarts tomorrow, and I don't want to waste another day without telling you that."  
  
Ginny looked up at him, shocked. Draco never even touched on the subject of his feelings. And now he had just poured out his heart to her.   
  
"That's the most beautiful thing anyone's ever said to me." She finally managed to choke out.  
  
"It's all the truth." Draco said, putting a cold hand on her cheek.  
  
"I love you, Draco." She said, starting to cry.  
  
Their lips met in the longest, most meaningful kiss they had ever shared.  
~*~  
  
Ron looked down at Hermione as she finally stepped away from him, wiping the tears from her swollen eyes.  
  
"Harry's supposed to be the one who survives anything. Harry's supposed to win against Voldemort." Hermione said, her voice cracking.  
  
"He did win, Hermione. He just had to die to do it." Ron finally spoke.  
  
"Why, though?"  
  
"Maybe the only way to truly defeat Voldemort. Maybe without him dying, Voldemort couldn't be defeated for good."  
  
"There must have been some other way!" Hermione shouted, starting to cry again.  
  
"There wasn't. And Harry knew that."  
  
"So Harry dies because we couldn't figure out any other way to defeat Voldemort in time!"  
  
"This isn't our fault, Hermione! This isn't anyone's fault! Harry did what he had to do!"  
  
"And you can just accept that? Accept that he's dead?" She shot back, tears still streaming down her face.  
  
"Hermione, you don't think this is killing me? He was my best friend too! I hate that he's dead, I hate that he had to die to kill Voldemort! But he did! And we can't change that! Nothing either of us did caused it and nothing either us can do could bring him back!" Ron shouted back.  
  
Hermione fell silent for a moment.  
  
"You're right, Ron. I'm sorry. It's just…this is all…I just keep thinking I'm going to wake up from this nightmare and see Harry again."  
  
"Me too."  
  
"But at least we've still got each other, Ron." Hermione said softly.  
  
Ron hugged her again instead of replying.   
  
"I will never let anything happen to you, Hermione." He said into her hair.  
  
"We've got to be strong through this Ron…take care of each other."  
  
"That's what Harry would have wanted." Ron replied.  
  
"I know. Through all of this, we--" Hermione stopped talking simply because she couldn't continue. Ron's lips were suddenly and roughly on hers.  
  
They broke apart after a moment, looking at each other, stunned. Ron and Hermione's relationship had always been strictly platonic. They had both buried any feelings for each other that were otherwise. But in this moment, sharing this kind of anguish, those feelings suddenly seemed to break the surface. They kissed again, longer this time. Somehow, they found solace in each other, in that moment.  
  
The portrait hole opened again, revealing Ginny Weasley, who looked lost in her own thoughts. She saw the two of them, and stopped short.  
  
"Ron? Hermione?" She said, surprised.  
  
They broke away from each other, turning to face Ginny.  
  
"Sorry, it's just I didn't know that you two were--"  
  
"It's all right, Gin. We're still kind of figuring that out ourselves." Ron looked nervously at Hermione, who looked confused and slightly flustered.  
  
"I'll see you two in the morning." She said softly, walking off to the girl's dorms.  
  
Neither Ron or Hermione said anything.  
  
"I-I need to be alone for a bit, Ron." Hermione finally said, getting up and leaving.  
  
Ron walked off to his dormitory, extremely confused. As he walked in, he saw a picture of the three of them on his bedside table, Harry in the middle, grinning widely. For a moment, with Hermione, Ron had almost forgotten what had happened. But now it came rushing back in full force. His best friend of seven years was dead. Harry was gone. Picking up the framed photograph, he watched as they magically moved around in the frame, all three of them laughing and smiling happily. And despite himself, Ron let out a choked cry of agony, breaking down completely. He fell onto his bed, his head in his hands.   
~*~  
  
All the seventh years woke up to their last day at Hogwarts. Voldemort's defeat should have been cause for celebration. But everyone felt so conflicted about being happy with Harry dead.   
  
Ron woke up, after only a few hours of dreamless sleep. Neville, Dean, and Seamus were all very upset about Harry as well, and didn't talk much as they all got dressed that morning.  
  
I look awful, Ron thought as he looked in the mirror. His eyes had huge, blue-ish circles underneath them, and his red hair stuck up wildly. But he didn't really care. Still wearing his robes from last night (he had just slept in them), he trudged down to the common room. He stopped when he saw Hermione sitting on the couch, looking just about as much of a state as he did. Her robes were wrinkled, she had apparently slept in them as well. Her curly hair had reached its bushy stage again, and she had just left it like that. She sat on the couch, staring out the window.  
  
Ron slowly walked over.  
  
"Hey." He said, sitting down beside her.  
  
"Hey." She replied listlessly.  
  
"Sleep at all?" He asked.  
  
"Off and on. No…actually, not really. Everytime I tried to fall asleep, I…" She stopped talking, her eyes clouding with tears again.  
  
"Let's go down to the Great Hall, Hermione. This is our last meal at Hogwarts, you know." Ron said, getting up.  
  
After breakfast, the seventh years were supposed to get together their things one last time, and board the Hogwarts Express for one final ride home.   
  
Ron and Hermione left the grieving Gryffindor common room, which had been magically decorated in black, to go down to the Great Hall, which was also draped in black. They slowly walked to the Gryffindor table and sat down, picking through a delicious breakfast. It didn't really seem to taste like anything.  
  
Dumbledore rose again.  
  
"Seventh years…your last day with us. It has been such a pleasure having all of you here, you've all brought so much to the school and will be missed. Thank you for all the happy memories that you have brought me and many others here. I've gotten to know many of you very well, and sincerely enjoyed it. Whatever you endeavor to do with the rest of your life, always remember that Hogwart's doors will always be open to you. And now you are all free to live in this world on your own with no fear of Voldemort. He is no longer a threat to any of us, because of the passing on of the bravest man I've ever had the pleasure of saying I knew. Let us all raise our goblets in remembrance of Harry Potter."  
  
Everyone got to their feet, raising their goblets. But before the words could even leave their lips, the doors at the back of the Great Hall flew open with a resounding bang. And there, bloody and bruised, Harry Potter himself stood before them.  
  
to be continued…  
  



	2. Here's to Goodbye

The End…  
Part II  
  
The whole of Hogwarts was frozen with shock. Harry Potter stood before them, weak, bloody and as pale as a ghost. He might as well a ghost…Harry Potter was supposed to be dead, not standing before them very much alive.   
  
Harry stumbled into the Hall, looking around at them, his breathing shallow. He looked up at Dumbledore, who wore an expression of uncharacteristic confusion.  
  
"Please…help me." Harry choked out, and then fell to the ground, unconscious.   
  
Dumbledore rose from his chair, and made his way to Harry's motionless form.   
  
"Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley…if you'll assist me. We should get Harry to the hospital ward." He said, his voice echoing strangely over the otherwise silent Hall.  
  
As Ron and Hermione got up from their seats, everyone seemed to snap back to reality. Frantic whispering reverberated through the Hall, as everyone looked on at Harry in disbelief.  
  
Ron and Hermione both gently lifted Harry up, draping his arms over their shoulders. Hermione looked over at Harry as if she didn't quite believe he was real. Ron's brow was furrowed as if he couldn't quite decide how to react to this. Harry couldn't just be back. It just didn't make sense.  
  
They walked in silence, Dumbledore leading the way. Madame Pomfrey had gotten up from her seat, following them, looking dumbfounded. They reached the hospital ward, and lay Harry down on the nearest bed.   
  
"H-He's alive?" Ron finally sputtered.  
  
Dumbledore put his finger on Harry's neck, feeling for a pulse.  
  
"It isn't possible…" He murmured, as Madame Pomfrey bustled around for supplies.  
  
"Is it really him?" Hermione asked.  
  
"It appears to be..." Madame Pomfrey looked at Harry, her tone perplexed.  
  
They looked down at Harry for a moment. He looked terrible. One lens was missing from his glasses, the other lens was hopelessly cracked. His right arm was bent unnaturally, obviously broken. His left arm had a large burn mark, and one leg was horribly swollen, the other leg bearing a huge cut which had gone through his jeans and was bleeding profusely. Suddenly, his bright green eyes snapped open.  
  
They all jumped back in surprise.  
  
"Harry?" Hermione asked softly, sitting beside him.  
  
"That's the one!" He said in a slurred voice, obviously not thinking clearly.  
  
"We thought…you were dead."  
  
"Wrong-o, miss! Right as rain, I am. And yes, I'd love a Chocolate Frog!" Harry grinned stupidly.  
  
"Madame Pomfrey, a Mind-Clearing Charm might do us some good." Dumbledore suggested, grinning slightly.  
  
"Of course." Madame Pomfrey selected a vial filled with green liquid, and poured it into Harry's mouth, which was hanging open stupidly.  
  
Harry blinked a couple of times, then he looked around at all of them, squinting.  
  
"Am I…back at Hogwarts?" He asked, his voice sounding much more like Harry usually did, just a little weak and hoarse.  
  
"Yeah, Harry. You're back. You made it." Ron smiled widely, looking down at his best friend with slight disbelief.  
  
"How does it feel to have defeated the most powerful Dark Wizard in history once and for all, Harry?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"Kind of…painful." Harry winced, holding his broken arm.  
  
"This is where I come in." Madame Pomfrey came through with Bone-Mending potions and the like. As she went to work, Ron joined Hermione sitting beside the bed. Hermione looked up at Dumbledore.  
  
"How can he possibly be back? I thought you said…"  
  
"This is a mystery, Miss Granger. We found Mr. Potter's disfigured body, lifeless, at the scene of Voldemort's defeat. His scar was the only distinguishable mark, but we did tests…we were sure it was Harry."  
  
"But…here I am." Harry asked, brow furrowed.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Potter. You've come back to us, and I couldn't be happier. Now we just have to discover how you are back with us. Do you feel well enough to discuss what happened the day of Voldemort's defeat? It might help us determine the circumstances of your return." Dumbledore asked.  
  
"I don't know…" Madame Pomfrey said worriedly.  
  
"I feel all right. I can talk about it." Harry said determinedly.  
  
"Please continue."  
  
"Well, I left late last Friday night. I had just decided that it was now or never. I was going to stop the endless death count, stop him once and for all. I sneaked into your office, sorry Professor but I had to, to get the Gryffindor sword, which I figured would be my best weapon. On your desk, I saw a letter pinpointing his exact location. I figured it was from one of your spies who was posing as a Death Eater. I took my broom, and left. It took me days to find him. But I found him exactly where the letter said. It was heavily guarded by Death Eaters, but I made my way in, and in a dungeon, I found Voldemort. We raised our wands for battle, but I knew I had to die if I wanted to kill him. Voldemort and I had wands that couldn't duel properly against each other because they were brothers. He is basically a part of me, and I of him. Some of his powers are in me, and mine in him. We are so connected that I figured the only way to kill him was for me to die. I decided it was the only way. So as we raised our wands to duel, I grabbed his wrist and pressed his hand against my scar. Before he could curse me, I said a suicide spell, and then…everything goes kind of hazy. I remember…a bright red light, and I remember falling…falling for what seemed like forever. I felt like I was falling down an endless tunnel, I thought I was dead. But all of a sudden, I felt a strange jerk in my scar, and I was awake outside in a field, alive. Then…I just went started back to Hogwarts, trying my best to figure out how to get back home. Somehow, I just knew I had done it. I knew Voldemort was gone." Harry finished, taking a deep breath, pushing his sweaty bangs back.  
  
The whole group listening jumped back in horror.  
  
"What is it?" Harry asked, dumbfounded.  
  
"Harry! Your scar!! It's…it's not there!" Hermione exclaimed, going white.  
  
"What are you talking about, of course it's--" Harry picked up a mirror off Madam Pomfrey's supply tray, and stopped talking abruptly.  
  
Hermione was correct. His lightning shaped scar had completely disappeared. His bangs had been hanging over it, wet with perspiration, so no one had noticed earlier. But it was clearly gone, leaving nothing behind.  
  
"But why? That's not possible! My scar can't just--"  
  
"Well, actually…" Hermione cut him off, her expression conveying such serious thought that everyone could practically hear the wheels in her mind turning.  
  
"Miss Granger? You have a theory?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
Hermione's eyes suddenly lit up.  
  
"Yes, I do! It all makes sense! All right, what I'm thinking is, Harry said the reason he could kill Voldemort is because they were so connected! Harry had the scar that Voldemort gave him, his brother wand, their powers even interconnected after Voldemort broke the protection spell that Lily gave Harry. But when Harry died and killed Voldemort, I think the magic was so powerful that it split Harry into two different entities. One entity was everything about Harry that was connected to Voldemort. And it died with Voldemort. But the other entity-everything about Harry that's just purely him, which doesn't involve the scar that Voldemort gave him, survived. And came back to us. So the body you found was Harry-just the part of Harry that doesn't exist anymore. All the powers from Voldemort, the scar…all of that died. But Harry, the true Harry, lived." Hermione finished breathlessly.  
  
Everyone looked at her in silence for a moment.  
  
"I must admit, it does make sense." Dumbledore said softly.  
  
"But…I'm still Harry, right? I'm still a wizard and all that?"  
  
"Of course, Harry. You'll still be the same wizard you once were…a brilliant flier and all that. Just everything about you that's connected to Voldemort is dead." Hermione explained.  
  
"I've actually heard of something like this before…magic being powerful enough to split us into different entities. But never of this magnitude…and I've never heard of either new entity surviving." Dumbledore rubbed his temples with thought.  
  
"So you think I'm right, Professor?" Hermione asked.  
  
"I'm thoroughly convinced you're right, Miss Granger, as usual. Your explanation actually perfectly fits and is the only way to explain any of this."  
  
Harry looked as if he was trying to let all of this sink in.  
  
"So I guess all that's there's left to say is…welcome back, Mr. Potter." Dumbledore smiled warmly.  
  
"Yeah…thanks." Harry said weakly, his hand on his forehead.  
  
"All right, now I'm sure Harry needs his rest. What is it with you and unimaginable disasters?" Madame Pomfrey looked down at Harry, shaking her head.  
  
"Glad you're back, Harry." Hermione squeezed his hand, tears spilling down her cheeks.  
  
"Yeah. We really thought…" Ron looked like he was pretty close to tears himself, but quickly blinked them back.  
  
"Thanks, guys. I'll see you in an hour or so." Harry grinned up at them, none of the three finding words enough to express how happy they were to be the three of them again.  
  
"The bus leaves in two hours, Harry. He'll be all right to head home, right, Madame Pomfrey?"  
  
"I suppose." She nodded.  
  
"All right then." And Dumbledore left, smiling at all of them.  
  
Ron and Hermione said good-bye once again, as Hermione was practically sobbing. He was really back. Harry was really back.  
~*~  
  
Ron and Hermione left the hospital ward together, in silence for a moment. Then they turned to look at each other, and with shared shouts of happiness, hugged each other tightly.  
  
"I can't believe he's all right." Hermione choked out.  
  
"I wonder how he's ever going to explain this to everyone else." Ron replied.  
  
"No idea. I mean, he's hardly Harry Potter without the trademark scar."  
  
"Yeah." Ron laughed.  
  
They broke apart, and walked in amicable silence to the common room. They were about to go in, when suddenly Ron put a hand up to stop her.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I really don't feel like going in there and trying to explain to all the Gryffindors what happened to Harry." He grimaced.  
  
"Oh…good point. But we've got to get our stuff together."  
  
"Let the crowd clear a bit. We can go back later."  
  
"All right. Then…where to?"  
  
"Let's just go outside for a bit. It's nice outside." Ron suggested.  
  
Hermione looked out a nearby window at the hovering storm clouds. Ron followed her gaze.  
  
"What?" He shrugged as she looked at him with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"Fine. If you want to get soaked and have wet robes the whole ride home…"  
  
"Any other suggestions?" Ron asked.  
  
Hermione sighed.  
  
"Not really. Let's go."  
  
They headed outside, walking quickly by the Great Hall which still had a few students inside. As they walked out onto the Hogwarts grounds, a soft wind blew around them.  
  
Hermione took a deep breath. She smelt that pleasant smell that everything outside seems to get right before it rains. She felt so peaceful, so happy. Harry was all right. Everything was going to be fine. She looked over at Ron, and suddenly, what had happened last night came back in a rush. They had kissed. And they hadn't talked about it at all with everything else that was happening. But it was a pretty monumental event. You don't just kiss somebody like they had kissed and pretend nothing happened. Hermione suddenly felt very awkward walking with him alone.  
  
Ron looked over at her.  
  
"Something wrong?" He asked.  
  
"No." She said quickly.  
  
He gave her a look.  
  
"Okay, yes." She sighed.  
  
"What is it?"   
  
"I was just thinking…about what happened last night. With us." She said, looking determinedly at her feet and flushing slightly.  
  
"Oh." Ron said softly, his ears turning red.  
  
"Yeah." Hermione said, looking at him briefly.  
  
They both walked in silence for a moment.  
  
"Do you think it was a mistake?" Hermione suddenly said.  
  
Ron looked at her.  
  
"Do you?" He asked.  
  
Hermione looked up at him.  
  
"No." She said softly.  
  
"Me neither." Ron said seriously.  
  
They just stood there for a moment, waiting for the other to say or do something.  
  
"So…what do we do about all this?" Hermione spoke finally.  
  
"Let's figure that out later." Ron grinned, putting his hand on her cheek.  
  
"Sounds good to me." Hermione smiled back, and they leaned towards each other, their lips meeting in a sweet, wonderful kiss as a light rain began to fall around them.  
~*~  
  
Positively soaked and not caring a bit, Ron and Hermione walked up to the common room. Hermione grinned up at him, as their robes dripped all over the marble floor.   
  
"You know, sane people come inside when a torrential thunderstorm starts." She laughed, wringing out her hair.  
  
"Yeah, well, we have more fun than sane people." Ron joked, slinging his arm over her shoulder.  
  
"I agree." She leaned against him slightly, never remembering feeling so blissfully happy.   
  
They walked like that for awhile, and out of nowhere, Ron grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her into an empty classroom.  
  
"Ron, what are you--" Hermione started to say, but then he kissed her and she forgot what she was going to say.  
  
Suddenly, Hermione broke away, sighing miserably.  
  
"Whoa…that wasn't that bad was it?" Ron asked with mock offense.  
  
"No, Ron, it's not that. It's just…why couldn't we have figured this out sooner?" She said sadly.  
  
"I know what you mean." Ron said, sitting on a desk and looking kind of miserable himself.  
  
"I mean, our very last day at school, we decide to start dating." Hermione sighed.  
  
"I know what you mean. But I've always been a little slow on the uptake when it comes to feelings." Ron said.  
  
"No, really?" Hermione said sarcastically.  
  
"Yeah, it only took me four bloody years."   
  
Hermione looked at him curiously.  
  
"What were you so afraid of?"  
  
Ron returned her gaze seriously.  
  
"Losing you. I didn't want to ruin anything between us. I mean, if I lost you, I'd be losing the friendship of one of the most amazing people I know. I've always admired you because you don't take any crap from anyone, especially me. You've always been such a great friend to me, Hermione, even though it sometimes seemed like we fought too much to be best friends. But really, despite all that, I've always cared so much about you. I just never thought I was going to fall in love with you. But it happened, and there was nothing I could do about it. I kept thinking maybe it would go away, but it didn't. Every time I tried to show you at all how I felt, it always came out wrong and we usually just ended up in another row because I was acting like such a git. And I'm sorry for doing that to you, it's just that--"  
  
"It's all right, Ron. I understand. We've always had kind of a…er…chaotic relationship. But we figured it out, and that's all that matters now." Hermione smiled warmly at him.  
  
"But what are we going to do about all this, really? I mean, tomorrow we start our lives as adults. You and I might end up at different jobs, in different cities, hell, even on different sides of the country." Ron said.  
  
"I know. But, I mean…there's not all that much we can do, right?" Hermione said, looking sadly down at her feet.  
  
Suddenly, Ron yanked a ring off his finger. It was this tacky Chudley Cannons ring that Hermione had always insisted he get rid of, but he never had. He got it when he was about ten, and just never really got around to getting rid of it. But Ron was getting rid of it now, and giving it to her. For one wild moment, Hermione thought he was proposing and she nearly fell off the desk.  
  
"Promise me, Hermione. Promise me that we'll never lose touch, no matter what. Promise me that no matter where our lives take us from here, we'll always find each other again." Ron said, quietly and seriously.  
  
"I promise." Hermione said, looking at the ring that she had reviled for so long, thinking it was kind of ironic that now that there was nothing she valued more.  
  
She threw her arms around him, and he held her so tightly that it was almost painful. It was as if that moment was frozen in time, one that they knew they would never forget. But moments like that have to end, and it did when Ron suddenly remembered something.  
  
"We better go pack…the Hogwarts Express is going to leave without us."  
  
"Yeah…let's go." Hermione got up, twirling the ring around on her finger.  
  
They left together, hand in hand, and walked to the common room. Suddenly, Hermione laughed.  
  
"What?" Ron asked her.  
  
"I just thought…how are we going to explain this to Harry?" She giggled.  
  
"Oh come on. How thick do you think I am?" They heard a sudden familiar voice behind them.  
  
"Harry! You're up!" Hermione spun around.  
  
"Yeah. And don't worry about explaining anything…anyone who's not blind saw this coming a long time ago. Except for either of you. Honestly, took you long enough." Harry rolled his eyes.  
  
"Thanks, Harry." Ron grinned.  
  
"No problem."  
  
And the three best friends made the final walk to the Gryffindor common room together.  
~*~  
  
"Well, I guess this it." Harry said dejectedly, as they all sat up against a tree trunk on the Hogwarts' grounds, waiting for all the other students to arrive.  
"  
Seven long years…" Ron sighed.  
  
"I remember coming here as a first year…everything was so different then."  
  
"Yeah. Like you were really annoying." Ron grinned at her.  
  
"I was, wasn't I?" Hermione rolled her eyes at the memory.  
  
"Yes." Harry and Ron chorused.  
  
They all laughed, and went back to an agreeable silence. There were lots of things they wanted to say, but couldn't really find a way to express. But they all knew. Knew that it was pretty rare that they had had the same two best friends for seven years. Knew that these were some of the best years of their life. Nobody really needed to say anything.  
  
All the other students started pouring out onto the grounds, laughing and talking loudly about having summer break. They saw Draco and Ginny walking out together, and Ron shook his head.  
  
"I know they've been dating for two years, but I still just don't get it."  
  
"You and everyone else at Hogwarts, Ron. I think that relationship just kind of defies reason." Hermione grinned.  
  
"Agreed." Harry looked over at them as well.  
  
"Well, let's go." Ron said, and they all started the trek to the Hogwart's Express.  
  
When they got there, they immediately piled into their usual compartment.  
  
"Kind of weird that no one else ever gets here first." Hermione commented.  
  
"It's a conspiracy, Harry and I set it up years ago." Ron joked.  
  
"Oh." Hermione raised her eyebrows, grinning.  
  
They all talked nonstop about anything and everything on the way home, and everyone just seemed to leave them alone. Dumbledore had probably mentioned something to everyone about not bothering Harry. They didn't really care. They could say their good-byes when they got back home. For now, they just wanted to enjoy being all together without having to worry about much of anything.   
  
Eventually, they did arrive at Platform 9 ¾, and they got off the Hogwart's Express for their final time. Harry kept flattening his bangs as to not arise questions. Sirius, who Harry had lived with ever since his name was cleared in the end of their fifth year, was already at the station. Mrs. Weasley and Fred and George were there as well.  
  
"Harry! How was your last year?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Let me put it this way-I've got a lot to tell you, Sirius." Harry grinned.  
  
"I can hardly wait to hear it. Hey, Ron, Hermione. How are both of you?"  
  
"Kind of sad." Hermione said dolefully.  
  
"Understandable." Sirius nodded, then turning to Ron.  
  
"What about you, Weasley?"  
  
"Happier than I expected actually." Ron said, putting his arm around Hermione.  
  
Sirius raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Like I said, I've got a lot to tell you, Sirius." Harry laughed.  
  
"Right, then. Well, best of luck to both of you. Come and see me sometime, all right?" Sirius grinned at the pair of them.  
  
"Of course." Hermione smiled back.  
  
"Well…this is it, I suppose. Bye, Harry." Hermione hugged him tightly.  
  
Ron clapped Harry on the shoulder.  
  
"Keep in touch, all right?"  
  
"Of course. We'll all meet up again soon. Leakey Cauldron or something…I'll send you an owl." Harry waved at both of them, and set off with Sirius.  
  
Fred, George, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley caught Harry as he was leaving and said their good-byes, then headed over to Ron and Hermione.  
  
"Fred! George! What are you doing here?" Ron asked, smiling widely.  
  
"Oh, Ron, you really think we wouldn't take time off from our busy schedule to support our little brother?" Fred said, looking shocked that Ron would even think that.  
  
"I'm so proud of you, dear. Both of you." Mrs. Weasley hugged them both.  
  
"Thanks, Mrs. Weasley. For everything these seven years. You guys have practically been my second family." Hermione said, starting to tear up again.   
  
Fred and George gave her a big, sappy hug as well.  
  
"Oh, great. If she's going cry, then I'm going cry…" Fred said jokingly, wiping furiously at his eyes.  
  
"We love you, dear. You've been like a daughter to me." Mrs. Weasley hugged her again.  
  
"Well, I better head off. My parents are probably waiting anxiously for me to tell them absolutely everything. Bye, Mrs. Weasley. Bye, Gin. Just one more year to go, you can do it," Hermione hugged her next, "Bye, Fred, George." Hermione gave them a little wave.  
  
Then she turned to Ron, and kissed him, right in front of everyone.  
  
"Bye, Ron." She smiled, turning and walking off.  
  
"Bye." Ron said faintly.  
  
"Whoa, Ron, you've got some explaining to do. Or does Hermione do that to all the guys?" Fred asked, wide-eyed.  
  
"No. Just me." Ron raised his eyebrows mysteriously, and started to head for their car.  
  
"Gin? Any explanations?" George asked his little sister.  
  
Ginny just shrugged, grinning.  
  
"Oh, well, we've got all summer to get it out of him." Fred grinned.  
  
Mrs. Weasley just shook her head, laughing.  
~*~  
And that day, Ron, Harry and Hermione all left Platform 9 ¾, leaving behind seven years of memories that would never be forgotten. You never forget your best friends. They make you who you are. How could you forget them?  
~*~  
  
~Here's to the nights we felt alive  
Here's to the tears you knew you'd cry  
Here's to goodbye   
Tomorrow's gonna come too soon  
All my time is froze in motion  
Can't I stay an hour or two or more  
Don't let me let you go~  
  
  
Disclaimer- All these wonderful characters and places belong to the brilliant J.K. Rowling. The song lyrics belong to Eve 6, "Here's to the Night."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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